Liquid surface cooler



Sept. 5, 1950 A. F. PINTO 2,521,406

LIQUID SURFACE COOLER Filed Nov. 9, 194a REFR/GERA/VT UUTLET HINVENTOR. Arfflur f P/nf'o ATTORNEQ Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUIDVSURFA'GE COOLER Arthur F. Pinto, Berkeley, Calif.

Application November 9, 1948, Serial No. 59,172 V 4 Claims. (01. sz 1 41)" This invention relatesto surface coolers and to'means for cooling'liquids by the action of such coolers upon the surface of the liquids,

There are a number of instances wherein it is necessary or desirable to avoid volatization of a liquid from a body, a particular one with which I am concerned being the trituration of an oil- 'containing material in a low boiling point solvent for the extraction of the oil. In the proce'ss of trituration, involving comminution and vigorous agitation, the mixture becomes progr'essively warmer and finally the solvent escapes and fills the roombefore the operation is com- Further, this apparatus for cooling is thoroughly.-

satisfactory because heat tends to rise to the surface and, therefore, the surface is the point J where a cooler is most effective.

Itis an object of my invention to prov1de an 2 efiicient device for cooling a liquid body b'y the action'of a'cooler upon the surface of the liquid.

Another object is to providea means for controlling the temperature of the surface of a liquid body so'as to minimize evaporation therefrom.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 shows a representative form of apparatus in connection with a specific use.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of cooler.

In the drawing, the reference numeral I refers to a ring stand of the ordinary style found in laboratories. Reference numeral 2 refers to a common type of mixer or stirring apparatus, the container 3 of which has in its bottom comminuting blades 4 driven by a motor in the base.

Adjustably supported on the upright of the ring stand by means of clamp 5 is a suitable form of surface cooler for use in this particular operation. The cooler is referred to generally by the reference numeral I0. It has a bulbous lower portion II and refrigerant inlet and outlet tubes I2 and I3 respectively. Inlet tube l2 extends substantially to the bottom of the bulbous portion so that the incomin liquid will have the greatest effect.

In order to cool the surface of the liquid under treatment, it is contemplated that the cooler ill will be adjusted into the surface of the liquid, as shown in Figure 1, and that cooling will be accomplished by absorbing heat conducted from the surface of the liquid. The refrigerant may be a salt solution, an expanding gas copra. Without cooling, so much of the solvent evaporated as to interfere with the trituration and healthful condition-of the air in the room. It was impractical to jacket the vessel 3 and a cooler within the liquid interfered with the circulation set up by the blades 4. By employing the device shown and circulating therethrough cold tap (water, evaporation of the solvent from the surface of the body of the liquid was prevented, and this without any interference with the trituration. v1.

It 'shouldbe understood that it is-not contemplated that the" surface cooler l0 be oper- -.\ated in such a fashion as merely to condense vaporsjwhichqare allowed to form from the liquid, but that the surface layer of the liquid and liquid :itself: is to be cooled below a temperature at which excessive vaporization occurs. The heat is absorbed from the liquid primarily by conduction rather than by radiation. Any liquid may be cooled, and the cooling may be extended to actual freezing.

For use in connection with a more common type of stirrer in which the rod depends from the motor and enters the top of the vessel (corresponding to the vessel 3), I have developed a cooler substantially like that shown in Figure 1 but having a central tube for passage of the rod. This modification is shown in Figure 2.

The cooler is otherwise like that shown in Figure 1, but has additionally a tube 22 from end to end through which the shaft or rod 4| of a common type of mixer 40 is accommodated. In all respects it will be used as has been above described.

The forms of the apparatus shown in the drawing are very suitable for the particular operation described. Where, however, the surface of the liquid is larger, different forms of the cooler are employed.

Preferred materials are the metals least subject to corrosion and which are good heat conductors. Tubes l2 and I3 are preferably made integral with the cooler, as will be tube 22, Details are, of course, subject to change.

adapted to be positioned in contact with the upper surface of the fluid in the vessel and of a size to close substantially completely the otherwise open end of the vessel, means for circulating a cooling medium through the bulb to cool the bulb and the fluid in the vessel which is in contact with the bulb, and means supporting said bulb in the vessel in a vertically spaced relation above said bottom and said cutting blades and in contact with only the upper liquid surface level in the vessel.

2. In combination, a vessel having a bottom and an open top, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bottom and extending therethrough to' just above and adjacent said bottom, a base engaged with said bottom and supporting said vessel in a superimposed position, a motor in said base for rotating said shaft, a plurality of material comminuting blades secured on that end of said "shaft which is above but which is adjacent said bottom to comminute material in the vessel in a region adjacent the bottom of the vessel and at a first elevation, a bulb of a size to fit within said vessel and having an area sufficient in a horizontal plane to close substantially said open top, means for circulating a refrigerant through said bulb, and means supporting the bulb adjustably with respect to the top of said vessel and positioning the bulb in the vessel at a level whereat an exposed liquid surface in the vessel is at "a'minimum during rotation of the material comminuting blades.

3. In combination, a vessel having a bottom and an open top, a shaft rotatably mounted and extending to adjacent said bottom, a motor for rotating said shaft, a plurality of material com-' minuting blades secured on that end of said shaft I which is above but which is adjacent said bottom to comminute material in the vessel in a region adjacent the bottom of the vessel and at a first elevation, a bulb of a size to fit within said vessel and having an area sufiicient in a horizontal plane to close substantially said open top, means for circulating a refrigerant through said bulb,

and means supporting the bulb adjustably with respect to the top of said vessel to position the bulb in the vessel in a spaced relation to said blades and wherein the bulb is spaced from the blades at a level whereat an exposed liquid surface in the vessel is at a minimum during rotation of the material comminuting blades.

4. In combination, a vessel having a bottom and an open top, a shaft rotatably mounted and extending to adjacent said bottom, a motor for rotating said shaft, a plurality of material com minuting blades secured on that end of said shaft which is above but which is adjacent said bottom to comminute material in the vessel in a region adjacent the bottom of the vessel and at a'first elevation, a hollow vessel closure of a size to'fit 'be positioned in the vessel in a spaced relation to the blades and at a level whereat an exposed liquid surface in the vessel is at a minimum durill ing rotation of the material comminuting blades.

ARTHUR F. PINTO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,055,022 Wood Sept. 22, 1936 2,145,331 Arensberg Jan. 31, 1939 2,400,773 Nelson May 21, 1946 2,431,484 Kaufman Nov. 25, 1947 2,432,547 Tull Dec. 16, 1947 

